Telephone-switchboard



No, s|7,692.

. Patented 1an. I0, |899. J. M. OVEBSHINER.

TELEPHUNE SWITCHBUABD.

(Applictibn med Apr. 1o, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(NQ Model.)

i I 1? f @iii/'32... 9 a9 @P 2% M www No. 6|7,692, Patented 1an. lo, |399. J. m. ovensnmen. TELEPHONE SWITCHBDARD.

(Appliatibn l'ed Apr. 10, 1897.)

(No Modei.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Homey UNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. OVERSHINER, OF ELWOOD, INDIANA.

TELEPHONE-SWITCHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,692, dated January 10, 1899.y Application lerl April 10, 1897. Serial No. 631,580. (No model.) l

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES M. OVERSHINER, a resident of Elwood, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-Switchboards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to an improvement in telephone-switchboards, and more particularly to the construction and arrangement of the spring-jack and drop devices and the man.

ner of securing these devices to a support and simultaneously effectingthe various electrical connections.

The object of my invention is to provide simple means whereby the jack, drop devices, night-bell-circuit-controllingappliances,and, in fact, all the electrical devices associated with or cooperating with the jack, drop, and plug can be automatically included in the proper circuits by merely placing these devices in position on the support and removably securing them in position without the use of solder, and to so construct the devices that the contacts will be intimate and so that dust and moisture will be eifectually excluded from the connections between the jack and its associated parts and conductors on the support.

A further object is to provide simple and efficient means, cooperating with a plug and conductors connected thereto,whereby to simply and quickly manipulate the various circuits for ascertaining what subscriber is wanted, signaling such subscriber, and mechanically and automatically restoring the drop by means of the plug.

A further object is to so construct drop or annunciator devices that the parts can be readily disassembledfor repair or other purpose and which can be as easily and quickly replaced.

A further object is to provide in a single structure a jack and its cooperating contact devices and a drop or annunciator and its coperating devices and to provide these devices with simple and eflicient means for quickly and effectually making electrical connections port.

simultaneously with conductors secured to the switchboard back or support.

With these Objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter-set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatical View illustrating my 'improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of one set of devices and a section of the back or sup- Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line a?, Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation. Fig. 6 is a face view of a portion of the switchboard back or support. Fig. 7 is a rear View of a section of the switchboard back or support. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the plug.- Figs. 9 and l0 are views showing the relative positions of the plug and drop and illustrating the operation of the drop-restoring means.

A represents a portion of aswitchboard back or support having a covering B of soft rubber or other yielding material secured toits front face, and this yielding covering or facing is made with parallelgrooves l for the reception of a series of llat conducting-strips a b c d c. By placing the conducting-strips in grooves in the rubber cushion the portions of the cushion between the grooves will' serve to properly insulate the conducting-strips from each other. The back or support A is also made with holes 2 for the passage of screws 3, which latter are electrically connected with the spring-jacks in a manner hereinafter eX- plained. The free ends of the screws 3 pass through perforated plates 1l, secured to the rear face of the back or support A by means of screws 5, which, cooperating with washers 6, constitute binding-posts for the attachment of the subscribers line-wires O. Nuts 7 are placed on the screws 3 and serve to hold said screws and parts to which they are connected secured in position and also to electrically connect the plates Il (and consequentlyftheY subscribers lines) with the jack.

The screw 3 projects from the rear end f of a box or casing D, of insulating material, and is electrically connected with a plate 9 within said box or casing. plate is made with a spring-arm l0, and the One end of the other end is electrically connected with the spring contact-arm 11 of the jack, and said contact-arm is made at its free end with a nose 12, adapted to enter a slot or opening 13 in the socket-piece 14 ofthe jack. The socketpiece is secured to the rear plate of the frame or box D and insulated from the contact-arm 11 and also insulated from another contactarm 15, which is secured to the rear plate of the box or frame D by means of a screw 16 projecting entirely through said rear plate to form a contact-point 17. .The free end of the contact-arm 15 is made with a nose 18, adapted to normally project into a slot or opening 19 in the socket-piece 14. Aspring-arm or wire 20 is secured at one end to the front piece 21 of the box or frame D and after passing loosely through a hole in the extended portion 22 of the spring contact-arm l1 terminates in proximity to a contact-post 23, secured to the rear plate of the box or frame. The contact-post 23 is secured to the rear end f of the box or frame D by means of a screw 24, which extends through and projects beyond the piece f to form a contact-point 25.

A box 26 is secured to the rear face of the front piece 21 of the frame D and serves as a receptacle for an electrom agnet 27. The polepiece of the magnet terminates at the rear end of the box 26, which is open, and the sides of said box (at the rear ends thereof) are made with perforated ears 28 for the reception of the pivot-pin 29 of the armature 30 of said magnet. The terminals of the magnet-helix are electrically connected with pins 31 32, projecting from the spool of the magnet and passing through slots in the armature 30. The pin 31 is adapted to make electrical contact with the spring-arm 10 of plate 9, and the pin 32 is adapted to make electrical contact with a spring-arm 33. The `spring-arm 33 is secured to the rear plate f of the frame D by means of a screw which passes through the piece f and terminates in a contact-point 34. One end of the pivot-pin 29 of the armature 30 is preferably made with an L-shaped arm 35, disposed between the edge of the armatureand a spring-arm 36, adapted to engage the box 26. The springarm 36 is secured to the rear piece fof the frame D by means of a screw which passes through said end piece f and terminates in a contact-point 37. The metal box 26 is electrically' connected with a plate 38,'secured to the front piece 21 of the frame D, and to this plate 38 a drop E is hinged at its lower edge, said drop being maintained in its normal raised or closed position by means of a latcharm 39, secured to the armature 30 of the magnet. Vhen the drop falls, it will be caught and sustained in a substantially horizontal position by means of a pin 40, secured to the front piece 21 of the frame D. This pin is connected by a conductor 41 with a screw 42, passing through the rear piece f of the frame and terminating in a contactpoint 43. The contact-points 37 and 43 engage the strips or conductors h and c, respectively, and said conductors form part of a circuit including an electric bell and suitable 7o battery, so that when a drop falls the alarm will be sounded.

From the construction and arrangement of parts above described it will be seen that should the electromagnet be burned out the melted copper, dac., from the coil will be caught by the box 26, and thus prevented from falling upon the contact devices of the jack. It is also apparent that when the magnet becomes injured or defective its ready 8o and quick removal and replacement without the use of solder are most desirable. By my construction such repairs as may be necessary to the magnet can be quickly accomplished. All that is necessary will be to remove the pivot-pin which sustains the armature, when the magnet can be taken out.

. The magnet is just as easily placed in position, and in the act of inserting the magnet into the box 26 the electrical connections for 9o the magnet-coil will be simultaneously and automatically effected.

My improvements also facilitate the removal, repair, and replacement of any jack and drop mechanism without the necessity of removing a single wire or the breakingor` solder or other permanent holding device. It will be seen that the various terminals of the contact devices of the jack, the magnetcoil, drop and alarm devices are electrically roo connected with the various contact-points in the rear platefof the frame D. Now it is apparent that when astructure comprising the frame D and the jack and drop devices is placed against the back or support A the include a subscribers line in circuit with the jack and drop devices and hold the frame D and the devices mounted therein securely to the back or support A.

Should it be desired to remove the jack and drop devices of a particular subscriber for 12o the purpose of repair or for other reason, this can be readily accomplished by simply removing the nut 7 from the pin or screw 3, when the entire structure, comprising the jack and drop devices and their frame, cani be bodily removed without the detachment of a single wire or the severance of a single permanent joint or connection.

When the frame or box D is in position on the back or support A, the contact between 13o the conducting-strips a b c CZ e and the contact-points 17, 25, 34, 37, and 43 will be maintained intimate by the resiliency of the rubber cushion B, so that no dust can possibly The pin or screw 3 will pass 1 1o vgage the contact-arm 15.

find its way between these contacting points. The rubber cushion also serves to exclude all moisture from between the back or support A and the frame or box D.

The subscribers line-wire is connected in the manner above explained with the spring contact-arm 1l of the jack. The contact-arm l5 is connected through the conducting-strip e with a ground-circuit including an operators telephone. The post 23 is connected through conducting-strip cl in a circuit including a generator. The magnet-coil is connected by means of the conducting-strip a with the ground.

I prefer to use a plug F such as shown in Fig. 8, two such plugs being connected together by a conducting-cord, as usual. The plug F comprises a metallic body portion g, an insulated end h, having an ,insulatingstrip t', disposed on a portion of the body g, and a conducting-ping, electrically connected with the metal body of the plug. The plug is also made with a handle la larger than the body g of the plug, so as to form a contracted portion nef the plug adjacent to the handle. The handle is movably mounted, and'within said handle a spring Z is located and bears, respectively, against the handle and the body of the plug, so as to normally project the latter.

The drop E is provided on its outer face with a cam or enlargement E', which may be of insulating material or an integral part of the drop, said cam or enlargement being adapted when the drop falls to overhang the socket of the jack.

When a subscriber calls the central office, the drop E will fall to a horizontal position. The operator will now insert the plug F into the jack-socket, so that the body portion of the plug will engage the nose of con tact-arm l1 and so that the conducting-ping' will en- This will place the operators telephone in circuit with the subscribers line. After ascertaining the number of the subscriber to becalled the operator will insert the plug at the other end of the conducting-cord into thesocket of the jack belonging to such subscribers line. In th us inserting the plug into the jack-socket of the called subscriber the operator will turn the plug so as to cause the insulating-strip z' to engage the nose of springarm ll and force the same outwardly, thus causing the springarm or wire to make electrical contact with the contact-post 23 and include the signal device of the called subscriber in circuit with the generator at the central oflice. It will be seen that as the generator is placed in circuit with the called subscribers line by an insulated portion of the plug the signal of the called subscriber only will be sounded, and the noise created by the generator will not annoythecallingsubscriberoroperator. The called subscriber having responded, the operator will turn both plugs, s'o that the metal body portion thereof will engage the spring jack-arms l1, and thus connect the two sub- 'ment with the latch device and also hold the drop in position while the party called for is being rung up and his latch device on the board is being vibrated, thus indicating that the line of the party called for is in working order. When the plug-handle was released by the operator, the spring within the handle caused the latter to move back out of the path of the cam or projection on the drop. Now when the subscribers whose lines have been connected finish with their use of the lines one or both of them will ring olf. This will cause both drops to again fall and indicate that the use of the lines has been determined, thus avoiding the necessity for ring-o drops heretofore employed. The cam or enlargement E on the drop will thus be brought into the path of movement of the shoulder or engaging device m at the end of the handle of the plug, so that when the operator before removing the plugs from the jack-sockets presses the handles of said plugs the shoulders or engaging devices thereon will engage the cams or enlargements on the drops and restore said drops in the manner above explained.

My improvements are very simple in construction and effectual in all respects in the performance of their functions.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention or limiting its scope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the vprecise details herein set forth.

Having fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a switchboard, the combination with a back or support, a cushion thereon and conductors on said cushion, of a structure comprising a frame and jack devices and drop devices supported in said frame, and contactpoints electrically connected with said jack and drop devices and adapted to engage said conductors on the back or support, and means for securing said structure to said back or support, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switchboard, the combination with a back or support, a structure comprising a frame and jack and drop devices supported by said frame, and contact-points projecting from said frame and electrically connected with said drop devices, of a cushion secured to said back or support and a series of conducting-strips disposed on said cushion and adapted to receive said contact-points and thus include said jack and drop devices in their respective circuits, substantially as set forth.

3. In a switchboard the combination with IOO IIO

IZO

a back or support and a series of insulated conducting-strips attached to said back or support and adapted to be included in various circuits, of a structure comprising a frame and jack and drop devices supported by said frame, contact-points on the frame electrically connected with the jack and drop devices and adapted to make electrical contact with said conducting-strips when said structure is placed in position on the back or support, a screw electrically connected with the'spring-jack contact-arm and adapted to pass through said back or support, a nut on said screw, a plate on the back or support with which said nut makes electrical contact, and a binding device for a subscribers line electrically connected with said plate, substantially as set forth.

4. In a switchboard, the combination with a back or support, a structure comprising a frame and jack and drop devices supported by said frame and contact-points on the frame and electrically connected with said jack and drop devices, of a cushion secured to the back or support, said cushion having grooves in its face and a series offlat conducting-strips disposed in said grooves and adapted to be engaged by said contact-points whereby to connect the jack and drop devices in the proper circuits when the said structure is secured to the back or support, substantially as set forth.

5. In a switchboard, the combination with a frame, of a magnet, a support for said magnet, pins mounted on the magnet structure and electrically connected with the terminals of the coil of said magnet, contact-arms with which said pins engage when the magnet is placed on its support, a drop, and a latch for said drop secured to the armature of said y magnet, substantiallyas set forth.

6. In a switchboard, the combination with a frame, of a box secured to said frame, contact-arms secured to said frame, a magnet mounted in said box, pins mounted on the magnet structure and electrically connected with the terminals of the coil of said magnet and adapted to engage the contact-arms when the magnet is placed in said box, a drop and a latch for said drop, secured to the armature of said magnet, substantially as set forth.

7. In a switchboard, the combination with a frame,'of a box secured therein, contactarms secured to the frame, a magnet mounted in the box, pins mounted on the magnet structure and electrically connected with the terminals of the coil of said magnet and adapted to engage the contact-arms when the magnet is placed in the box, perforated lugs on said box, an armature, a pivot-pin for said armature passing loosely through said lugs on the box and lugs on the armature, a drop and a latch for said drop secured to said armature, substantially as set forth.

In a switchboard, the combination with a frame, of a box therein, a magnet in said box, an armature for said magnet, a drop electrically connected with said box, a latch for said drop, secured to said armature, a stop for said drop, means for including said stop in circuit with an alarm, and an arm also included in said alarm-circuit and bearing against said box, substantially as set forth.

9. In a switchboard, the combination with a jack, a drop and electromagnetic latch devices for said drop, of a cam or enlargement on said drop adapted to overhang the socket of the jack when the drop falls, and a plug having an independently-movable handle adapted to engage said cam or enlargement on the drop and restore the latter to the latch device, substantially as set forth.

10. In a switchboard, the combination with a jack, a drop and electromagnetic latch devices for said drop, of an enlargement on said drop adapted to overhang the socket of the jack, a plug and an independently-movable device on said plug adapted to engage the enlargement on the drop, push the latter toits normal closed position and hold it in such position while the party called for is being rung up and his latch device is being vibrated on the switchboard to indicate that the line is in working order, substantially as set forth.

l1. The combination with a jack and an annunciator-drop having a projection on its face, of a plug to enter the jack, an engaging device on the plug to cooperate with the projection on the drop whereby to restore the latter, a portion of the plug adjacent to the engaging device being reduced in diameter whereby to permit the drop to fall and the projection thereon to become disposed in front of said engaging device on the plug while said plug is in the jack, substantially as set forth.

l2. The combination of a jack, a plug for insertion therein, adapted to connect calling means in the circuit, a drop having a portion out of the general or superficial plane thereof and adapted to coperate with said plug whereby said drop will be restored by the insertion of the plug but free to fall duringthe existence of the talking-circuit and a locking device actuated by the plug and arranged to engage the drop and hold it in a restored position while the signal is being extended.

13. The combination with an annunciatordrop havinga portion out of the general or superficial plane thereof, and a jack,of a plug, and a movable contact device onthe plug adapted to engage the said portion of the drop and restore the latter to its' normal position when said plug is inserted into the jack and then move back to permit said drop to again fall when released by the coperating latch device, whereby to permit said contact device to be again operated to restore the drop before the plug shall have been removed from the jack.

14. The combination with a spring-jack, of a series of contacts connected toa supportingpiece associated with said jack, a series of opposed conductors connected with a supportstructure to the back with its electrical contacts in engagement with the conductingstrips on the back and means for electrically connecting each jack when secured in place on the back, with the subscribers-line terminal.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES M. OVERSHINER.

Witnesses:

R. S. FERGUSON, CHARLES S. DRURY. 

